A comparative study of circulating plasma lipid components and superoxide dismutase activity in pre and postmenopausal women

Background: Menopause is associated with increased oxidative stress and decreased antioxidative activity in females which leads to increased risk of cardiovascular and many other diseases. The objective was to compare the lipid profiles and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity of pre and postmenopausal women in an attempt to establish the fact that menopause is associated with increased oxidative stress.Methods: A hospital based cross-sectional study was done at the department of obstetrics and gynaecology and biochemistry, Shri Mahant Indiresh Hospital, Dehradun, India. Out of total of 120 women, 60 women were in premenopausal group aged between 30-45 years and 60 women of 55-70 years of age group in post menopause status. Assessment of lipid profile was done by an automated chemistry analyzer (Vitors 5, I FS) and SOD activity was measured by colorimetric activity kit. Statistical analysis was done by Standard Microsoft Excel software.Results: Mean serum SOD level in premenopausal women was 4.80±1.73 U/ml and in postmenopausal was 1.35±0.58 U/ml. This variation was found to be extremely significant (p <0.0001). Changes in lipid components in pre and postmenopausal women showed that total cholesterol and triglycerides levels were higher in postmenopausal than premenopausal participants. These variations were also significant (p = 0.0003). Levels of HDL-C were lower in postmenopausal women than pre-menopausal group with a mean±SD of 51.5±12.20 mg/dl and 54.05±14.03mg/dl respectively.Conclusions: Findings of this study corroborate the hypothesis that gradual loss of ovarian function is associated with a decrease in antioxidant status. Menopause also leads to changes in lipid components, which can predispose women to cardiovascular diseases

Crystalline perfection, Raman, UV-VIS-NIR and prism coupler investigations on Cz-grown pure and Zn-doped LiNbO3 single crystals

Pure and Zn-doped (1 mol%) LiNbO3 single crystals have been grown by the Czochralski technique. From powder X-ray diffraction analysis, the crystal structure and the lattice strains have been evaluated. The crystalline perfection analysis by high resolution X-ray diffraction revealed that the pure crystal is free from structural grain boundaries and contains predominantly vacancy defects whereas the doped crystal contains low angle structural grain boundaries. The Raman spectral studies indicate no variation in lattice vibrations with slight changes in the peak width and intensity. The Zn doping in crystals leads to an enhancement in optical transparency over the entire visible and near-infrared wavelength range and optical band gap. The prism coupler, refractive indices and birefringence measurements infer that the doped crystal is suitable for photorefractive applications in the ultraviolet wavelength region. The evaluated Li concentration by Raman and UV, as well as birefringence depicts that the grown crystals are congruent in nature with a slight deviation from stoichiometry

A comparative study of circulating plasma lipid components and superoxide dismutase activity in pre and postmenopausal women

Background: Menopause is associated with increased oxidative stress and decreased antioxidative activity in females which leads to increased risk of cardiovascular and many other diseases. The objective was to compare the lipid profiles and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity of pre and postmenopausal women in an attempt to establish the fact that menopause is associated with increased oxidative stress.Methods: A hospital based cross-sectional study was done at the department of obstetrics and gynaecology and biochemistry, Shri Mahant Indiresh Hospital, Dehradun, India. Out of total of 120 women, 60 women were in premenopausal group aged between 30-45 years and 60 women of 55-70 years of age group in post menopause status. Assessment of lipid profile was done by an automated chemistry analyzer (Vitors 5, I FS) and SOD activity was measured by colorimetric activity kit. Statistical analysis was done by Standard Microsoft Excel software.Results: Mean serum SOD level in premenopausal women was 4.80±1.73 U/ml and in postmenopausal was 1.35±0.58 U/ml. This variation was found to be extremely significant (p &lt;0.0001). Changes in lipid components in pre and postmenopausal women showed that total cholesterol and triglycerides levels were higher in postmenopausal than premenopausal participants. These variations were also significant (p = 0.0003). Levels of HDL-C were lower in postmenopausal women than pre-menopausal group with a mean±SD of 51.5±12.20 mg/dl and 54.05±14.03mg/dl respectively.Conclusions: Findings of this study corroborate the hypothesis that gradual loss of ovarian function is associated with a decrease in antioxidant status. Menopause also leads to changes in lipid components, which can predispose women to cardiovascular diseases

Predicting Carbon Residual in Biomass Wastes Using Soft Computing Techniques

In recent decades, the development of complex materials developed a class of biomass waste-derived porous carbons (BWDPCs), which are used for carbon capture and sustainable waste management. It is difficult in understanding the adsorption mechanism of CO2 in the air as it has a wide range of properties associated with its diverse textures, functional group existence, pressure, and temperature of varying range. These properties influence diversely the adsorption mechanism of CO2 and pose serious challenges in the process. To resolve this multiobjective formulation, we use a machine learning classifier that maps systematically the CO2 adsorption as a function of compositional and textural properties and adsorption parameters. The machine learning classifier helps in the classification of various porous carbon materials during the time of training and testing. The results of the simulation show that the proposed method is more efficient in classifying the porous nature of the CO2 adsorption materials than other methods

Global economic burden of unmet surgical need for appendicitis

Background There is a substantial gap in provision of adequate surgical care in many low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to identify the economic burden of unmet surgical need for the common condition of appendicitis. Methods Data on the incidence of appendicitis from 170 countries and two different approaches were used to estimate numbers of patients who do not receive surgery: as a fixed proportion of the total unmet surgical need per country (approach 1); and based on country income status (approach 2). Indirect costs with current levels of access and local quality, and those if quality were at the standards of high-income countries, were estimated. A human capital approach was applied, focusing on the economic burden resulting from premature death and absenteeism. Results Excess mortality was 4185 per 100 000 cases of appendicitis using approach 1 and 3448 per 100 000 using approach 2. The economic burden of continuing current levels of access and local quality was US $92 492 million using approach 1 and$73 141 million using approach 2. The economic burden of not providing surgical care to the standards of high-income countries was $95 004 million using approach 1 and$75 666 million using approach 2. The largest share of these costs resulted from premature death (97.7 per cent) and lack of access (97.0 per cent) in contrast to lack of quality. Conclusion For a comparatively non-complex emergency condition such as appendicitis, increasing access to care should be prioritized. Although improving quality of care should not be neglected, increasing provision of care at current standards could reduce societal costs substantially

Global economic burden of unmet surgical need for appendicitis

Background There is a substantial gap in provision of adequate surgical care in many low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to identify the economic burden of unmet surgical need for the common condition of appendicitis. Methods Data on the incidence of appendicitis from 170 countries and two different approaches were used to estimate numbers of patients who do not receive surgery: as a fixed proportion of the total unmet surgical need per country (approach 1); and based on country income status (approach 2). Indirect costs with current levels of access and local quality, and those if quality were at the standards of high-income countries, were estimated. A human capital approach was applied, focusing on the economic burden resulting from premature death and absenteeism. Results Excess mortality was 4185 per 100 000 cases of appendicitis using approach 1 and 3448 per 100 000 using approach 2. The economic burden of continuing current levels of access and local quality was US $92 492 million using approach 1 and$73 141 million using approach 2. The economic burden of not providing surgical care to the standards of high-income countries was $95 004 million using approach 1 and$75 666 million using approach 2. The largest share of these costs resulted from premature death (97.7 per cent) and lack of access (97.0 per cent) in contrast to lack of quality. Conclusion For a comparatively non-complex emergency condition such as appendicitis, increasing access to care should be prioritized. Although improving quality of care should not be neglected, increasing provision of care at current standards could reduce societal costs substantially